All That Matters
by sunnydale57
Summary: Taking place in the RWBY universe, this story will center on Yang and Blake's complicated yet undeniable attraction. From arriving to Beacon, to fighting Grimm, to sharing a dormitory, there will be bee moments everywhere because that it what their relationship is and always has been: a bunch of little moments.
1. Chapter 1

**Chapter 1: This Will Be The Day**

Taking out her aviators, the blonde puts them on as she roars her engine to life. Today was the first day of school.

"Yang!" a voice calls out. "YAAAAANG!"

Smirking, the blonde races her bike over to the front of the house, stopping a foot away from a dark-haired girl with red tips in her hair.

Playfully rolling her eyes at her sister, the dark-haired girl kneels down to gesture a puppy over.

Tongue hanging loosely, the pup barks as it makes his way to hooded girl.

"You be a good boy, Zwei," the girl commands, as the puppy cocks his head to the side, staring curiously at his master. "AWWWW! ISN'T HE CUTE!?" the young girl coos before picking up the pup and embracing him in a tight hug. "YOU'RE THE CUTEST MR. ZWEI ROSE!"

Reaching out to pet the pup, the blonde smiles at her baby sister, Ruby. Yet despite Ruby's young age, the silver-eyed girl had skipped a couple of grades and landed a spot in one of Remnant's greatest and most sought-after academies: Beacon.

"Be a good boy, ok prince of princes?" the silver-eyed girl parts, setting the pup down. "And take care of dad," she adds, throat growing heavy.

"I'll miss you little dude," Yang adds, winking at the pup behind her dark shades. "Ready, sis?" she asks Ruby who nods.

Running a hand through her face, Ruby sniffles. For the longest time, she had dreamt of being a huntress; she just chose not to think about what that would entail. To Ruby, she thought she still had two years of living at home before setting out on her quest to become one of Remnant's greatest huntresses.

"You know," Yang starts, noticing a change in her little sister, "Winter break will come before you know it," she comforts, gently patting the bike, encouraging the other girl to hop on. "Come on, Ruby. Dad made us promise that we'd be gone before he came back from his errand," she recalls, face falling. Their father, Taiyang or Tai, was the best in the world, and he was heartbroken right now. It was one thing to lose one daughter, but because Ruby was a special case, Tai was now losing two daughters at the same time. It was too much for him, especially given how close they had gotten since the girls were admitted into Beacon. Every day was family day, and Tai did not want to ruin the girls' excitement with his heartache, so he made them promise to leave first thing in the morning, considering all was said and done the previous night when they said their goodbyes as a family.

Nodding once more, the dark-haired girl leads the pup back inside the house before locking the front door. Today was the beginning of the next four years of her life.

Smiling encouragingly, the blonde hands her little sister a helmet.

Taking the helmet and putting it on, Ruby seats herself behind her older sister.

"Ready?" Yang asks once more, feeling her sister lean closer to her and wrap her arms around her waist. Taking the cue, the blonde races the sports bike to the docks. From there, it was a little more than an hour ferry-ride to Beacon. Knowing they were running a little behind schedule, Yang grips tighter on the accelerator and arrives faster than she had originally intended, which was no shock to her nor Ruby. Yang loved speed; Yang loved adventure; Yang loved danger.

Both nervous and excited, the girls check-in and get their boarding passes, while Yang's bike is taken in with the rest of the cargo.

Keeping close to her sister, Ruby's heart starts accelerating as she scopes out the many weapons that were aboard. "Look Yang!" she calls out, pointing to a hammer. "Crescent Rose may have just found a new friend!" she exclaims, referring to her weapon: Crescent Rose.

"Maybe, you should go talk to her," Yang encourages, smiling when her little sister clings closer to her. "Ruby . . . " she scolds, as the younger girl begins fidgeting with her fingers. "Making friends is not that scary."

"I'm-I'm not 'scared'," Ruby rebuts, looking down at the floor. "I'm just . . . not good with the whole 'socializing' thing," she admits before sighing.

"Think of talking as a skill, ok?" Yang starts, gripping her sister's chin. "And just like your training with Crescent Rose," she continues, letting go of the shyer girl. "One can only improve with practice," she lectures, giving the dark-haired girl a knowing look. "So," she begins again, gently pushing her sister towards the girl who is carelessly swinging around her hammer, "Go practice!" she adds, winking at her little sister.

"Okay . . . " Ruby caves, slowly rolling her eyes. Looking around, she no longer sees her sister. "Yang . . . " she groans, shaking her head. Of course, her sister had run out on her. Of course, her sister had done this because that was what Yang did best: to push her out of her comfort zone, so she could grow as a person. Smiling, Ruby takes a deep breath before embarking on an exciting yet scary journey: making friends.

Laughing to herself, Yang watches her sister panic, as she tries to locate her. Smiling, she walks further away from Ruby and accidentally crashes into a girl. "S-so-sorry," she apologizes, as the other girl quickly walks away. Narrowing her gaze on the girl's bow, Yang shrugs it off and makes her way towards the back of the ferry. And after passing hordes of students, she finds an isolated corner behind some of the ferry's cargo. Sitting atop one of the boxes, she takes off her aviators to gaze at the sea. It was a beautiful sight.

"Soothing isn't it?" a voice remarks, startling the blonde. Smirking, a black-haired looks down at the blonde. Like Yang, she was seated atop cargo boxes, except she had the higher ground.

"H-hi," Yang manages to say, narrowing her gaze at the girl, trying to not to be blinded by the gleaming sun.

"What?" the girl asks, raising a brow when the blonde squints and peers her head closer.

Trying to focus in on the girl, Yang squints harder, until her eyes shut. The sun was not helping.

"See something you like?" the girl teases, as the blonde scoffs.

"You're totally lighting up my world right now," Yang plays along, putting her aviators back on. "So much so that it is literally quite blinding," she jokes, gazing up at the girl who is curiously staring back at her. "Nice bow," she comments, causing the other girl to flinch. "So," Yang begins, quickly looking away and gazing back at the sea. "I guess we're going to Beacon, huh," she small-talks, assuming the other girl was listening. "So we're going to be classmates," she assumes, quickly pausing, "Hey, what's your name?" she asks, staring out at the sea. Not receiving an answer, the blonde looks back up to where the girl once was. She was gone.

"Hmmm . . . Odd girl . . . " Yang remarks before yawning. Stretching, she lays down on the dock's floor, staring at the sea-blue sky for the rest of the ferry-ride to Beacon.

Perfectly content, hidden in the shadows, the black-haired girl pulls out a book. She was still in the cargo area; she just hid from view from the other girl. Turning a page, the black-eyed girl flinches when she hears singing. Curious, she peers over to find the other girl laying on the deck, sun-bathing, as her golden hair shimmered the sun's rays. Going back to her book, the girl advances several chapters, finding the other girl's humming oddly comforting.

* * *

Hearing the PA announcement that they had arrived at the academy, Yang stands up and stretches. Knowing her little sister, she had to make her way to her, or else Ruby would worry.

Also standing up to stretch, the black-haired girl effortlessly jump down, landing swiftly on the ground before locking eyes with curious lilacs.

Doing a double-take, the blonde raises a brow. "Were you there this entire time?" she asks, realizing that the girl had never left.

Shrugging, the black-haired girl dusts off her coat and walks away.

Confused, Yang opens her mouth to say something, but it was clear the girl was not interested, given she was still walking away.

Though hesitant, Yang decides to catch up to the other girl "Um," she starts, walking side-to-side with the honey-eyed beauty, "Did I say something to offend you or something?"

"No," the girl answers, eyes forward.

"No?"

"I'm sorry," the black-haired girl starts, stopping and causing the other girl to stop, "Am I missing something here?"

Fumbling for words, the blonde gives up. "No."

"Ok then," the girl replies, walking away.

"YAAAAAANG!" a girl calls out, racing towards her. "YANG!"

Smiling, the blonde opens her arms and receives her little sister in a hug. "Hey, you," she greets, embracing her little sister.

Holding on to her sister, Ruby nuzzles closer; she was nervous.

Catching on, Yang exhales loudly. Ruby was a warrior, and she was strong and resilient, but she was still a kid. "I'm proud of you, you know," Yang comforts, as the shorter girl pulls back. "You deserve this, Ruby. Remember that: you're here because of all your hard work."

"I'm here because of _you_ ," Ruby counters, causing her sister to fluster. "It's true," Ruby admits, smiling warmly. "Everything I do, I do it ten times harder than anyone else because I want to be like you. Yang, you may be my big sister, but you're also one of my idols."

Smiling, Yang ruffles Ruby's hair. "Since when did you get all mature and stuff?" she teases, as they continue their way forward.

Ears perked, the black-haired girl, smiles, overhearing the sisters' conversation.

Forming in line, Yang finds herself behind the black-haired girl from before.

"I'm so excited!" Ruby exclaims, getting all giddy. "Aren't you excited!?" she coos, as the line begins to move.

"Of course," Yang answers, trying to read the name of the book wrapped around olive-skinned hands. "Beauty and the Yeast?" Yang reads aloud before frowning.

"Beast, actually," the black-haired girl corrects, turning around to face the slightly taller girl.

"Well, that makes _a lot_ more sense," Yang mutters under her breath, causing the other girl to crack a smile.

"One would assume so," the black-haired girl remarks, causing the taller girl to grin. "Especially considering that no one, in the history of time, has ever referred to yeast as pretty."

"Except bread!" Yang jokes, snapping her fingers and pointing at the other girl.

Deadpan expression on her face, the black-haired girl turns back around.

"That was _awful_ ," Ruby whispers as the blonde scratches the back of her head, confused.

"What? I thought it was funny . . ." the blonde defends in a defeated tone.

"No, you didn't, sis," Ruby calls out before elbowing her sister. "Is she one of your friends from Signal?" she asks, gesturing to the girl in front of them.

"No. I just met her," the taller girl answers, staring at black, obsidian hair. "I don't know anything about her," she adds, frowning.

"Well, she reads, so she must be smart and stuff," Ruby whispers, winking at her older sister.

"Right," Yang agrees, smiling at her mischievous little sister. Of course, Ruby would say something like that, for Ruby always found it easier to make friends with quiet, reserved individuals, rather than dare to approach those in the popular circle.

"Plus, she seemed nice," the silver-eyed girl adds before smirking. "That is, until you blew it with that _lame_ joke," she teases, as the blonde rolls her eyes.

"Well, at least, I kinda . . . well, sorta . . . made a new friend," Yang rebuts, as Ruby's smirk broadens.

"I'll have you know that I made _plenty_ of friends today," the dark-haired girl gloats, causing her sister to raise a brow.

"Is that so?"

"Yup."

"Prove it," Yang challenges, knowing all too well that Ruby wasn't one to miss a challenge.

Determined, Ruby disappears.

Finally out of the ferry and onto land, Yang looks down when she nearly slips on something. Picking up the item, she recognizes the ribbon as that of the girl's bow. "Excuse me?" Yang calls out, catching up and tapping the girl's shoulder.

"Yeah?" the girl asks, golden irises immediately focusing on the black ribbon wrapped around a sun-kissed hand.

"It's yours, right?" Yang asks, extending it further out.

Nodding, the girl carefully takes back her extra ribbon. "Thanks," she utters, grateful to have one of her many spare ribbons back.

"Sure, no problem," Yang replies, smiling shyly at the girl. "And, um, sorry . . . you know, for that lame joke."

Cracking a smile, the black-haired girl narrows her gaze at the taller girl. "Lame _but_ slightly funny," she admits, causing the other girl to perk up and grin. "I'll see you around," she parts, walking away.

"Yang! YANG! YAAAAAANG!" a familiar voice calls out. From afar, Ruby waves at her sister and gestures to her new friend.

Smirking, Yang races over to her sister. "Yo," she greets, putting on her aviators and facing the tall boy.

"I'm Jaune."

" . . . he threw up," Ruby comments, causing the boy to blush.

"And I'm NORA!" a redhead announces, standing tall and proud, hammer hanging loosely on her hand.

" . . . she's a little off," Ruby comments once again, grin forming. "But in a good way," she adds, as the redhead winks at her.

"And he's REN!" the redhead announces, pointing to calm and passive dark-haired boy with pink tips.

" . . . sometimes I forget he's here," Ruby comments, causing everyone to let out a chuckle.

"And I guess that leaves me," Yang notices, waving at the group. "I'm Yang."

"Yang," Ruby starts, gesturing to everyone, "Everyone," she continues, facing Yang again. "And ha!" Ruby calls out, smiling victoriously. "I made friends," she gloats.

"You sure did, little sis," Yang admits, gesturing them to start walking. Orientation was set to start soon.

Arriving, the new group of friends sits at the back, as the headmaster welcomes the first years.

"Today," the headmaster begins, "You begin your journey. Today, you become Huntsmen and Huntresses in-training. Today, you become protectors of Remnant," he continues before pausing. "Here at Beacon Academy-"

Attention drifting elsewhere, the blonde locks eyes with golden irises for a brief second. Frowning, Yang raises a brow when the black-haired girl omits the headmaster's welcoming and, instead, goes back to reading her book.

Sitting at the far corner of the room, the girl quietly flips the page, still feeling a pair of lilacs on her.

" . . . and so, I shall take my leave," the headmaster announces, smiling at the students. "I leave you all in good hands," he parts, gesturing a blonde over. "Professor Goodwitch will take over from here."

Smiling, a petite young woman clears her throat. "Welcome students," she greets, scanning the area. "As Professor Ozpin kindly stated, I will take over from here and explain to you the most the remarkable thing about Beacon," she continues, now smirking. "Rules and expectations," she finishes, smile broadening at the choral sighs and groans.

Eyes widening, Ruby takes out her notebook and quickly starts taking notes.

"Ruby," Yang starts, smirking at her sister. "This is all in the orientation packet," she explains, resting her hands behind her head. "No need to take notes."

"Speak for yourself," another girl comments, garnering the sisters' attention. "What?" the white-haired girl remarks, glaring at the duo.

"I was, um," Ruby begins, scratching the back of her head. "I was, um, following your lead . . . "

Rolling her eyes, the light-haired girl with icy blues groans before turning her attention back to Professor Goodwitch.

Lilac locked onto silver, Yang shrugs.

" . . . sleeping arrangements are to be here, until tomorrow when you are sorted and placed in dormitories," Professor Goodwitch continues, hands behind her back. "Goodnight students," she finishes, taking her leave as the horde of students begin settling in.

Taking out their sleeping bags, the sisters look around the area, trying to find a nice, quiet place.

Finding a nice spot near the water fountain, the girls set their things down, ready to call it a night.

Guarding their belongings, Yang gets up to go change when Ruby returns, in her pajamas, and makes her way to the changing room. Stripping out of her jacket, pants, and boots, the blonde neatly folds them and packs them in her backpack. Slipping on a pair of black boy-shorts, she runs a hand through her hair before making it back to her sister. Along the way, a lone ember catches her eye. Curious, she walks towards it and finds herself face-to-face with the black-haired girl from before.

"You sure do enjoy stalking me," the girl from the shadows comments, not taking her eyes off of her new book.

Scoffing, the blonde narrows her gaze at the odd yet mysterious girl. "Are we even allowed to be here?" she asks, looking around the vacant area, smirk growing. After all, she was all about breaking the rules.

Shrugging, the mysterious girl flips the page in her book.

Smirk dropping, the blonde clears her throat. "I'm Yang," she announces, staring at the quieter of the two.

Looking up from the novel, the honey-eyed girl stares back at lilac irises.

"It's a-It's a lovely night," the blonde finds herself saying, smiling awkwardly at the silent girl who narrows her gaze at her.

"Yes," the girl agrees, honey eyes drifting back to her novel, "It's almost as lovely as this book," she points out, small smile forming, "Which I will continue to read _right now_. _Alone_."

Taking the hint, the blonde chuckles to herself. "Alrighty then. Goodnight," Yang parts, leaving the girl to her new novel.

Surprised by the blonde's nonchalant attitude, the black-haired girl rolls her eyes. She, herself, admitted that she was not a people-person. "It's Blake, by the way" she adds, as the blonde takes her leave. Sighing when the girl seemingly ignores her, the honey-eyed beauty closes her book.

 _Blake,_ Yang repeats in her head. "Nice to meet you, Blake," she parts, not turning around yet waving a hand as she continues to walk away.

Honey irises glued to the blonde, the black-haired girl smiles to herself before blowing out the candle. Beacon sure had interesting characters.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2: Red Like Roses**

After being told to make their way to the entrance of Emerald Forest, which was right outside of Beacon Academy, the anxious students wave around their weapons, prepping for what sure to be their partner and team formation exercise.

"Students," a stern voice begins, making her way to the front of the crowd, along with the white-haired headmaster. "I'm sure you've heard rumors regarding how Beacon Academy forms its teams."

Nodding, the students look at each other. Rumors ranged from a talking magical hat, drawings, going in alphabetical order, going by region, and even as far-fetched as trial by fire.

"In any case," Professor Goodwitch continues, smirk forming. "Allow us to bring an end to those rumors."

"As some of you may have noticed," the headmaster speaks up, cup of coffee at hand, "There are rows of platforms lined up behind me."

Gesturing at the plates, the petite blonde's smirk broadens as she takes out her scroll. Adjusting her glasses, she glances between her scroll and her students.

Taking a sip from his coffee, the headmaster places one hand behind his back, while the other balances his beverage. "Your mission, children," he starts again, smiling for the first time, "Is to simply stand on these platforms and let the rest _fall_ into place."

Confused, the students look at each other.

"In other words," Professor Goodwitch interrupts, stepping forward, "You are to be launched off this cliff and will rely on your very own landing strategy to survive."

Gasps heard all around, the students smile nervously at each other.

Ruby, determined, furrows her brows, hand hovering above her weapon. Yang, on the hand, grins and presses her fists together.

"Additionally, the first person you make eye contact with shall be your partner for the next four years," Professor Ozpin inputs, taking a sip of his coffee. "So do make it count."

"And once you are partnered up," the petite blonde adds, peering over her lenses to survey the students, "Your mission is to retrieve one of the relics that Professor Ozpin planted."

"Simple enough?" the headmasters probes, seemingly enjoying the confounded looks on his students' faces. "But children please be wary," he warns, face stern. "Emerald Forest is known to inhabit the creatures of Grimm."

"So it's the best time time as any to put all your hard work into play," Professor Goodwitch encourages, smiling fondly at her first-years. "Show us what you're made of," she challenges, gesturing the students to stand atop a platform. "And hence, we begin!"

While some students were nervous yet excited, others were nervous and scared.

Putting on her aviators, Yang eagerly climbs atop a platform, ready to be launched off.

Ruby, on the other hand, takes a deep breath and gives an encouraging smile to the tall, blonde boy that she had met the day before. "You'll be fine," she eases, stepping atop a platform.

"R-r-right," the boy named Jaune replies, shoulders dropping.

"She's right, you know," a calm and soothing voice inputs, garnering the boy's attention. "You'll be fine."

Staring at the red-haired beauty, the boy gulps and scratches the back of his head, nervously.

Poised for battle, the red-haired beauty smiles at the boy. "Pyrrha Nikos," she greets, as the first batch of students are launched. Shortly, screams follow.

Feeling lightheaded, the boy awkwardly smiles at the beauty. "J-J-Jau-Jaune A-Ark," he manages to say, wincing when more screams echo in the open area.

"Jaune?" the girl asks, searching deep blues. "Jaune, are you okay?"

"What? Me?" Jaune repeats, adjusting his pose and plastering a fake smile on his face. "I'm cool," he lies, closing his eyes as more students are launched.

"Jaune . . . did you ever want to fly as a kid?" the beauty asks, smiling warmly at the boy, trying to comfort him.

Nodding, Jaune gulps. _Peter Pan_ was one of his favorite books . . . when he was a baby.

"So think of it as a dream," Pyrrha comforts, as Jaune broadens his fake smile. "And like any dream you'll open your eyes and wake up, _safe_ from harm."

"R-r-right."

"You'll be fine, Jaune," the red-haired beauty promises, internally wincing when the boy is launched. Not losing sight of the boy, the redhead is launched. Calmly, she glides through the air before taking out her spear and launching it. Piercing the top of the tallest tree in sight, she unlocks her semblance and uses her polarity to gravitate towards her weapon. Wrapping her hands around the spear, she lands atop a sturdy branch before pulling it out and locking it onto a certain blonde boy. Lunging her spear once more, she smiles when she accomplishes her task. Pulling out her shield, she makes her way through the forest and back to her spear and new friend.

Knowing she was due to launch any second from now, the black-haired girl stands calmly atop the platform, honey eyes locked onto a blonde who is laughing and shooting her gauntlets, using its recoil to propel her for a greater boost in the air. Personally, Blake was not fond of flying, but this strange, cheery blonde seemed to thrive on it. Losing sight of the blonde, the honey-eyed girl calculates the blonde's landing area.

"YEE-HAWWW!" an orange-haired girl exclaims, as she is launched. Sitting atop her hammer, the girl pumps her arm, laughing, as she flies off into the distance.

Launched, Blake quickly scopes the forest, trying to find a good landing spot. Pulling out her weapon, she fires it and uses its ribbon to swing herself onto a tree. Landing firmly on a branch, she jumps from tree to tree. Her mission: to find a partner whom she wouldn't mind having around for the next four years.

* * *

Spying on several of her peers from below, none of them grab her attention, so the black-haired girl threads forward. Ears perking, she hears gunfire and growls. Quickly, she sets out toward the commotion, stopping when she spots the strange blonde from before happily beating up a grimm.

"HYAH!" the blonde grunts, landing a sucker punch on an ursula three times her size.

Ursula flown a couple of feet in the air, the blonde blasts off the ground, jumping above the grimm and using her elbow power to shoot the ursula back to the ground. Still in the air, the blonde uses her gauntlets to shoot the ursula before landing swiftly on the ground herself. "Hmm," she hums, using her foot to check on the inconsolable grimm.

Howling in pain, the ursula calls forward the rest of its pack before dying.

Realizing that others were coming, the black-haired girl contemplates making an appearance. If she fought beside the other girl, they were going to be partners for the remainder of her time in Beacon. But before she could make up her mind, she raises a brow at the curious blonde who seems delighted that other grimm were coming. Once again, this strange girl was proving to be the polar opposite of who Blake was.

Smirking, the blonde welcomes the pack of beowolves by pressing her fists together. Aviators back on, she quickly begins kicking, punching, blasting, and absorbing their hits. Not too long after, her semblance kicks in. Golden hair gleaming in the sunlight and inferno eyes glistening, the blonde KO's the remaining beowolves. Sighing when the fight is over, the blonde rests one hand on her hip. "Now what?" she utters, contemplating which way to go. So far, she had not run into anybody nor heard anyone nearby.

Hearing some shuffling behind her, the honey-eyed girl spots a late-comer heading to the party. But before the lone ursula could surprise attack the blonde, the black-haired girl pulls out her gambol-shroud and shoots it in the back of the head.

Startled, the blonde turns around to find a collapsing ursula. Not too long after it hits the ground, a black-haired girl reveals herself, jumping atop the grimm's carcass. Smirking at the blonde, the black-haired girl puts her weapon away.

"I could've taken him," Yang remarks, causing the other girl to playfully roll her eyes.

* * *

Alone, the girl in the red hood wanders the forest. "YANG!" she calls out, anxiously looking around for certain blonde head. "YAAAAANG!" she calls out once more before hearing a blast. _Yang_ , she says to herself, racing towards the sound.

Instead, the dark-haired girl clashes into someone.

"Watch it, you DOLT!" a girl whines, dusting herself off. "YOU."

Confused, Ruby looks around before realizing that the white-haired girl was referring to her. "Me?" she asks, pointing to herself. "What did I do?"

"I can't believe you have THE NERVE to even THINK that I would be your partner!"

"Woah! I don't know what you're talking about . . . "

"Hmph," the blue-eyed girl groans, crossing her arms across her chest. "As if someone from my background would associate herself with the likes of you," the girl continues harassing, as Ruby continues looking around the area, not sure what was happening. "Face it: You recognize the name, the face, and the reputation that I carry. So you schemed your way to me."

"Look lady, I don't know-"

"-I beg your pardon!" the white-haired girl cuts in, appalled. "You refer to me by my name, not some 'lady'."

"But I don't know your name . . . "

"Cut the act, scoundrel," the snobby presses, rolling her icy blue eyes. "You know _exactly_ who I am."

"I'm so lost . . . " Ruby mutters, fidgeting with her fingers.

Raising a brow, the white-haired girl sighs. "Look," she starts, realizing that the dark-haired girl may not know who she was, after all, "Let's just pretend this didn't happen, ok?"

"What do you mean?"

"You're **not** my partner," the white-haired girl states, head high. "And I refuse to be your victim."

"But-" Ruby starts before the girl starts walking away from her. Quickly, she catches up to the other girl, appearing in front of her, whilst leaving a trail of red petals in her wake.

Startled, the white-haired girl studies the slightly taller girl. "How did-How did you do that?" she asks, certain that she was the one to walk away, not the other way around.

"I'm fast," Ruby explains, grinning. "Like _really_ fast," she gloats, unlocking her semblance and appearing ten feet away.

"Interesting, " the snobby girl comments before continuing on her way. "But not good enough."

Sighing, Ruby travels alongside the reluctant girl, who does not shy away from openly rejecting Ruby's attempts to make friends with her.

"No."

"-But."

"Nope."

"I-"

"No."

"B-

"NO. NO. NO."

* * *

Hands behind her head, the blonde and the black-haired girl continue exploring the forest in search of the relics.

Alert, the black-haired girl tries not to wiggle her ears as much, as they were hidden beneath her bow, and she did not want anyone to know that she was a Faunus.

"We'll be fine," Yang comforts, sensing the other girl's tenseness.

"What?"

"We'll be fine," Yang repeats, smiling at her new partner.

Small smile forming, the black-haired eases, realizing that there was more to the blonde than she had presumed. Yang, as she said her name was, was the opposite of her, yet despite her cool, relaxed exterior, she was maturer than she appeared. She was also very observant and attentive. Not at all what Blake thought a pretty blonde girl like her would be.

"You said your name was Blake, right?" Yang starts, starting up a conversation with the solemn girl. It had been a nice comfortable walk in silence, but Yang's curiosity was getting the better of her.

"That's right," Blake confirms, suddenly feeling nervous but masking it well.

"You're not from around here, are you, Blake?" Yang assumes, hands still resting behind her head.

"What makes you say that?" the black-haired girl challenges, suddenly defensive.

Brow raised, Yang shrugs. "You don't seem like the others," she explains, not breaking eye-contact. "You're different," she adds, now grinning.

"I'm guessing that's a compliment . . ." the honey-eyed girl assumes, frowning.

"And I'm guessing you're not fond of compliments," Yang retorts, looking up at the sky. "Noted."

Not being able to fight a smile, Blake clears her throat. "You've been here before," she states, recognizing Yang's scent.

"I have?"

"Yeah, I mean, I recognize the, um, forestry," Blake explains, mentally face-palming herself for her lame excuse. "So yeah, _we've_ been here before."

"Now that I think about it," Yang starts, narrowing her gaze. "You're right."

Ears perking, Blake studies the pensive blonde. "I am?"

Nodding, the blonde points to a lavender-colored flower. "Nightshade," she explains, furrowing her brows. "They contain high levels of toxicity, so they are known to keep animals away," she reveals, as the other girl raises a brow. "They also like to keep to themselves," she adds, kneeling down to analyze the flower. "I remember seeing this little girl a while back."

"How do you know it's the same flower?" the black-haired girl asks, intrigued.

"Because this not so little but, rather, _deadly_ girl claimed a victim," Yang explains, standing up and resting her hands behind her head. "I buried the sparrow over there," she reveals, gesturing to a mound of dirt, decorated with a lone yellow flower on its bed.

Soft smile playing on her lips, the honey-eyed girl licks her lips. "We should get back on track."

"Yeah," Yang agrees, keeping her thoughts to herself. The last time she was here, the other girl was nowhere to be seen. And despite being curious and wanting to question the other girl, Yang concludes that given the other girl's cold and melancholic exterior, she was better off letting it go. So instead, the blonde shrugs it off and picks up the pace.

* * *

After giving the other dark-haired girl the silent treatment, the light-haired girl perks up when she hears another human. Racing towards the newcomer, she stops dead in her tracks when the source of screaming looks down at her from a tree.

Speared into a tree trunk, Jaune waves at the girls. Heart accelerating, his blue eyes lock onto a fair-skinned, light-eyed girl. "Hi there, snow-angel," he greets, winking at the girl who looks away and locks eyes with Ruby.

"We're leaving," the cold-hearted girl proclaims, grabbing Ruby by the hood and dragging her away.

"Yay! She's mine!" Ruby gloats, waving her arms in victory, as Jaune sighs. "I knew you'd change your mind!" she adds, as the shorter girl groans and rolls her eyes.

* * *

Arriving at an old colosseum, the girls find several items, presumably the relics, laid out.

"We made it," Yang states, analyzing the pieces. Recognizing the relics as that as pieces of an old, medieval game, Yang reaches out to touch what she recalled was referred to as a rook.

"Hey," Blake greets, standing beside the blonde. "Which one should we pick?" she asks, wrinkling her nose. Yang smelled of lavender and rain.

"Hmm," Yang hums, eyes scanning their options before settling in on one. "How 'bout we take the pony?" she asks, grinning and reaching out to grab the knight.

"Sure," Blake complies, smiling back.

"In that case," Yang starts, picking up the relic, "Mission accomplished."

"Guess so," Blake agrees before frowning.

"What's wrong?" Yang asks, sensing a shift in the girl.

"I thought I heard someone scream," Blake answers, furrowing her brows and trying not to perk her ears.

Searching the area, Yang looks up at the sky and spots a flock of birds all leaving one particular area in the forest. "Grimm," she guesses, looking back the shorter girl. Hearing another scream, Yang and Blake look at each other before a louder scream is heard. "Sounds like a girl is in trouble," Yang states, as Blake nods at her.

" _Go_ ," Blake encourages, as Yang grins and presses her fists together.

"Nice!" Yang comments, happy to have a partner who understood her excitement. "But before that: Moment of truth," Yang starts, flexing and prepping for a battle. "Does my partner have my back?" she teases, winking.

"As if you need to ask," Blake replies, grinning back and pulling out her weapon. "Race you there?" she challenges before disappearing.

Scoffing, Yang's grin broadens. "Oh," she starts, putting on her aviators, "It's definitely on," she announces before taking off after her partner. Blake was the right choice.

* * *

Arriving, the redhead retrieves her spear.

Freed at last, Jaune falls down.

Lending the boy a hand, the redhead chuckles when Jaune avoids eye-contact with her. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah . . . " Jaune answers, still avoiding eye-contact.

"Jaune," Pyrrha begins, pausing, "I am honored to have you as my partner."

"Why?"

"I sense you'll be a great leader," Pyrrha answers, as Jaune dusts himself off.

Scoffing, the boy picks up his weapon. "The only leader I'll ever be," he starts, growing frustrated, "Is being the leader of losers."

"Hey," Pyrrha starts, resting a hand on his shoulder, "It's barely our first day, Jaune," she comforts, smiling warmly at the boy, "Don't be too hard on yourself, ok?"

Sighing, Jaune nods. "Sure. Whatever," he states, walking away.

"Jaune?" Pyrrha call out, catching up to the blonde.

"Yeah?"

"How well do you know your history?"

"What do you mean?" Jaune asks, raising a brow as they walk through the forest.

"The story of man," Pyrrha calirfies, thoughts drifting elsewhere. "According to old religions, we were created by the Gods and gifted with free-will to do with the world as we please, while the Gods sit back and contemplate if we are worthy of salvation" she states, as Jaune frowns, aware of the folklore. "You see, the Gods left us to our own devices," she states, as Jaune nods. "We were created in their image. There's good and bad in each of us . . . and you, Jaune, I can tell you're good," she comforts, causing the boy to fluster. "I can tell you have a kind heart. You're hard on yourself, as we all should. But it's people like you that give mankind hope. Hope that the Gods will return to us and all will be right in the world."

Smiling lopsidedly at the beauty, Jaune clears his throat. "Thanks."

"Better?"

"Much," the boy answers before tripping over something. "OUCH!" he exclaims, hitting the ground. Getting up, he kicks the source of his fall, only to realize it was a tail. "Ah sh-"

Being cut off, Jaune screams at the top of his lungs as the death-stalker tries to sting him.

Shield at hand, Pyrrha scopes her environment. "Stay calm!" she exclaims, pulling out her spear.

"OKAAAAAY!" Jaune screams back, dangling from the death-stalker's stinger.

Gripping tightly to her shield, Pyrrha spiral throws it at the death-stalker who is quick to smack it away with its stinger.

Expecting this, the redhead lunges her spear, as soon as the deathstalker makes contact with her shield.

Timed perfectly, the spear lands on one of the grimm's legs.

Quickly, the strong girl, using her polarity, catches the shield in mid-air. Landing and rolling on the ground, she slides under the deathstalker and takes back her spear, whilst cutting off its leg. Now shooting up from the ground, the girl steers her shield to cover her. Face and body hidden behind the shield, the girl mimics the death-stalker's movements. "Give me a sec, Jaune," she assures her partner, not taking her eyes off of the grimm.

Moving slower than before, the deathstalker darts its stinger back and forth, trying to find a window to sting the girl.

Maneuvering the deathstalker to a nearby, old tree, Pyrrha smiles when the grimm puts itself in place. Gripping her shield tightly, she throws it at the trunk of the tree, slicing it. Afterward, she lunges her spear at the falling trunk, hitting it at its center. Afterward, she uses her semblance to move the trunk of the tree atop the deathstalker before letting it fall on it. "NOW, JAUNE!" she calls out, as the blonde lets go of the stinger and lands safely on the ground. Running towards the boy, Pyrrha steals Jaune's sword and rushes towards the deathstalker. Blade at hand, she slices off its head.

Screeching in pain, the creature turns to dust before fading away.

"Looks like we missed quite the party," a blonde girl announces, quickly followed by a black-haired girl. "Vomit boy, right?" she teases, as Jaune winces.

"Vomit boy?" Blake repeats, as Yang winks at her, giving her a knowing look.

"Motion sickness is a thing, ya know!" Jaune defends, as Pyrrha picks up her gear and laughs along the way.

"What's up?" Yang greets, eyeing the strong redhead. "Hey, I have to give you props: you are the quite the skilled fighter, Nikos," she comments, as the strong, golden-armor-clad girl lightly blushes from embarrassment.

"I'll have you know that Pyrrha Nikos is my partner," Jaune announces, grinning broadly.

"Tis true," Pyrrha agrees, smiling at the boy, "I made the cut."

"Congratulations," Blake remarks, garnering the attention. Feeling all eyes on her, the black-haired beauty looks away and down at the ground.

"That's Blake," Yang announces, gesturing at her partner. "She made the cut, too," she teases, grin forming. " _Barely_ . . . "

Rolling her eyes, Blake elbows the playful blonde.

"HEY!" Yang yelps before smirking. "Isn't she lovely?" she asks the other pairing whilst massaging her arm. "Just lovely, isn't she."

"YANG!" a voice calls out. "YAAAAAANG!"

Recognizing the sound, the blonde perks up. "RUBY!" she calls back, opening her arms for an embrace.

Running up to her sister and hugging her, Ruby dangles in the air. "I'm so glad I found you!" Yang exclaims before letting go. "We heard a girl was in trouble," she says, causing a redhead to chuckle lightly.

Approaching the group of students, the icy-eyed girl slowly walks up to them, hiding behind the girl with the hoodie.

"This is my partner, Weiss," Ruby introduces, gesturing to a fair-skinned beauty in regal-looking attire.

"Weiss, as in Weiss Schnee?" Blake questions, narrowing her gaze on the short, light-haired beauty.

"The heiress?" Pyrrha adds, analyzing the delicate-looking girl. "Pleasure."

"Finally . . . " Weiss utters under breath. "Some recognition . . . "

"So you admit that your family is solely responsible for the mistreatment of Faunuses, as well other questionable labor practices that have resulted in a stain of the Schnee name?" Blake adds, balling up her fists.

"That is a rumor," Weiss defends, eyeing the black-haired beauty. "And like all rumors," she continues, face turning cold, "They are founded on lies."

"I'm pretty sure I'm not the one lying here," Blake rebuts, as Yang steps in between them.

"Blake," the blonde starts, breaking the tension, "Let's just agree to disagree," she suggests, smiling at her distracted partner.

Not breaking away from icy blues, Blake tenses when someone grabs her hand.

"Let it go," Yang eases, tightening her hold on her partner's hand. "You don't know anything about her, and she doesn't know anything about you, ok?" she comforts, smiling half-heartedly. "Fresh start for everyone," she says, now acknowledging everyone in the group.

"That's right," Ruby adds, speaking up. "Names don't matter here. We're all equal. We all want to right the wrongs in the world. So instead of creating disparities amongst us, we should focus on what brought us together," she continues, pulling out her weapon. "Like Professor Ozpin said, 'We are the protectors of Remnant', so we should work together and help each other grow into better people."

Sighing, Blake nods, as Yang lets go of her hand.

Winking at the black-haired girl, Yang turns to smile at her sister. Ruby had come a long way from the girl who had to have her big sister tuck her into bed, or the girl who would wait eagerly by the window until her big sister returned from school, so they could train together.

"I'm not like my family," Weiss states, voice soft. "I want you to know that."

"We're all individuals," Pyrrha presses, resting her hand on Jaune's shoulders. "It's up to us to create our legacy. Up to us to decide our destiny."

"That's right," Jaune agrees, nodding at his partner. "Names are just letters. But actions are stories. And who knows? Maybe, one of us will be remembered as a hero a hundred years from now."

"Like the Grimm Reaper," Pyrrha remarks, as everyone nods in agreement.

"No one knows her real name, but they all remember her as a hero . . . The Grimm Reaper," Ruby adds, smiling at her partner who smiles back.

Yawning and stretching, Yang notices an orange hue in the sky. "We should probably get back," she suggests, aware that grimm are more active at night, and that they have the advantage of seeing in the dark.

And so together, the new group of friends head back to Beacon Academy.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3: RWBY**

Huddled in the auditorium, the students await for the school administrators to announce team formation.

"Any idea how this works?" the blonde asks her black-haired partner who shrugs.

Shrugging back, the blonde places her hands behind her head. Professor Ozpin had mentioned that team formations had to do with their mission in Emerald Forest. He was very clear about forging partnerships, but as to how teams were made, he was rather elusive.

Heels clicking the floor, the light-haired girl with icy blues groans as she crosses her arms across her chest.

"Weiss?" Ruby calls out, aware of her partner's impatience. Weiss, as Ruby was quick to figure out, was a very direct kind-of-girl. The shorter beauty never steered away from voicing exact thoughts, nor did she mask her emotions very well.

Icy blues locked onto a white-haired man who was approaching the stage, Weiss furrows her brows. She hated wasting her time.

"Weiss?" Ruby calls out once more, looking between her partner and her older sister who shrugs at her. Not receiving an answer, Ruby sighs. Regarding the Schnee Dust Company's younger heiress, Ruby had her work cut out.

Noting a fallen a expression on her little sister's face, Yang ruffles the shorter girl's hair.

Breaking into small fits of laughter, Ruby fixes her hair as the white-haired man stands at the center of the stage, eyeing his audience.

"Children," the headmaster begins, coffee at hand, "We will now begin team formations," he finishes, as the petite professor, Ms. Goodwitch, joins him onstage. "After your team is formed, check your scroll for dormitory arrangements."

Clearing her throat, Professor Goodwitch takes out her scroll and adjusts her glasses. Screen projected, the petite blonde gestures the headmaster to continue.

"Russel Thrush. Cardin Winchester. Dove Brozewing. Sky Lark, " the headmaster starts, as the respective students' profile are projected for all to see. "The four of you retrieved the black bishop pieces," the headmaster discloses, as Cardin's image is pushed to the front. "From this day forward, you will work together as Team CRDL, led by Cardin Winchester."

Students clapping, Team CRDL walks up the stage and shakes hand with the headmaster and the petite blonde before clearing out.

"Jaune Arc. Lie Ren. Pyrrha Nikos. Nora Valkrie," Professor Ozpin begins, as the four students make their way to the front. "The four of you retrieved the white rook pieces," the headmaster continues, images projected on screen. "From this day forward, you will work together as Team JNPR," Professor Ozpin states, pausing and taking a sip from his coffee, as Jaune's image is pushed to first. "You will be led by Jaune Arc," he finishes, as the blonde boy gasps, wide-eyed. "Congratulations, young man," Professor Ozpin adds, staring curiously at the shocked boy.

Resting her hand on the blonde boy's broad shoulder, the redheaded beauty squeezes it in a reassuring manner.

Locking eyes with piercing greens, Jaune smiles awkwardly as his team begins to approach the stage. In doing so, Jaune is blinded by the stage's light and freezes right before a hand leads the way.

Gripping onto the boy's sweaty hand, the girl leads their team to and off and the stage.

Finally out of the spotlight, Jaune smiles at the beauty who smiles back.

"Go Team JNPR!" Nora bursts out, hands waving in the air. "We are THE BEST!" she exclaims, scanning through the crowd as she absentmindedly begins doing jumping jacks and burpees, trying to intimidate future teams.

"Indeed," Ren agrees in a monotonic tone, raising a brow at his childhood friend.

"I-I-I p-promise I w-will not l-l-let you guys down," Jaune promises, as Ren cracks a smile.

Exchanging a look, Pyrrha and Ren each rest a hand on Jaune's shoulder.

"I look forward to seeing you lead us through peril and victory," Ren states, as Pyrrha's smile broadens, while Jaune gulps.

"You will be a _fine_ leader," the beauty adds, squeezing his shoulder once more. "I know you will."

Calming down from her excitement, the orange-haired girl notices a tender moment occurring within her team. Quickly, she runs up to the blonde boy and climbs his back before clinging onto it. "THAT'S RIGHT, JAUNE!" she yells into the startled boy's ear. "You're the head _hancho_! The _hombre_ of this castle! YOU. ARE. THE. BOSS! " she exclaims, causing her team to laugh.

"Blake Belladonna," the headmaster continues, as the black-haired girl's heartbeat accelerates. "Ruby Rose. Weiss Schnee. And Yang Xiao Long," he finishes, as the four girls calmly approach the stage. "The four of you retrieved the white knight pieces. From this day forward, you will work together as Team RWBY, led by Ruby Rose."

Heartbeat ringing in her ears, the short-stature girl freezes before being enveloped in a tight hug.

"Congrats, Ruby!" Yang says into her ear before letting go.

Feet rooted to the ground, the light-haired girl stares at the projected screen. Ruby Rose was first. It was she who leader, not her.

"Come on, guys!" Yang encourages, being the first to practically run to the headmaster and shake his hand.

Flinching upon contact, the headmaster stares into curious lilacs. "That's quite a grip you got there," he states, causing the blonde to raise a brow. There was something off about their headmaster; she just couldn't put her finger on it.

Following the blonde, Blake shakes the headmaster's hand, while also noticing a very pensive expression on the headmaster.

Exhaling deeply, the light-haired beauty plasters a smile on her face and shakes the headmaster and Professor Goodwitch's hand before disappearing.

Ruby, on the hand, nervously shakes their hands before running over to Yang. "Where's Weiss?"

Looking at her partner who shrugs, Yang also shrugs. "Beats me."

"Oh . . . " Ruby hums, frown resting on her face.

Worry masking her face, Yang pushes a strand of hair away from Ruby's face. "Let's check out our dormitory," she suggests, playfully punching her sister's chin. "And since you're our leader," she starts, grin forming, "You get dibs."

Cracking a smile, Ruby nods as her sister takes out her scroll.

"Dormitory 2B," Yang reads aloud, as she leads the way.

* * *

Exhausted, the girls lay around in their respective beds.

Laying in her bed, head hanging off of it, Yang stares at the upside down figure of her partner. "What'cha reading there, Blake?" she asks, sliding further from the bed.

"Reading," the honey-eyed girl nonchalantly answers, not taking her eyes off of her novel.

Stretching, Yang's fingertips graze the carpet as blood rushes down to her head.

"I can hear you breathing . . ." Blake states, causing the blonde to frown.

"Are you talking to-"

"-Yup."

Confused, Yang locks her gaze onto her partner who refuses to put down her book. "Sorry . . . " she utters, staring more intently at golden irises. On one hand, Blake seemed like the kind of girl who wouldn't care much for things. Given their limited interactions, Yang presumed that Blake would be the kind of roommate who would frequently slip in and out of their dorm without word. Yet on the other hand, Blake was proving to be very observant and somewhat coy.

"When your head is upside down," Blake starts, setting her book down and luring Yang away from her thoughts, "Your organs put extra weight on your lungs, thereby, making it harder to breathe," the beauty explains, pausing as Yang stares curiously into her honey irises. "As in, it leads to asphyxiation."

"Woah," Ruby utters, not taking her eyes off of her screen. "You're so smart," she compliments, tongue hanging loosely as she presses harder on her scroll.

Sitting up, Yang feels an intense head rush. Now dizzy, she massages her temples.

"Lay down," Blake suggests, picking up her book again.

Standing up, Yang realizes that perhaps it was too soon to get up, as she loses balance.

Quickly, Blake appears beside the blonde, steadying her. " _Lay down_ ," she reiterates, as the blonde cracks a smile.

"Easy there wolfie," Yang teases, grin forming, "You haven't even bought me dinner yet!"

Rolling her eyes, the black-haired girl looks away, smiling. "You're annoyingly optimistic . . ." she utters, as the blonde lets herself fall down atop her partner's bed. Brow raised, the black-haired beauty exhales deeply before sitting at the edge of her bed. "I didn't imply to lay down on my bed . . ."

Eyes closed, Yang smiles. "I'm bored."

"And how exactly is that relevant to me?" the honey-eyed beauty asks, analyzing the strange blonde.

"Do you want to go out or something?" Yang asks, rolling over to her side, elbow firm against the mattress and head inclined in her hand.

Blush forming, Blake turns away, brows furrowing.

"Aren't you curious about the school!?" Yang presses, grinning. "Come on! Come out with me and explore!"

"Yang," Blake starts, pausing before meeting curious lilacs. "I'm pretty sure sneaking out of our dorms at night is frowned upon," she counters, as Yang raises a brow.

"Hmm. You didn't strike me as the strait-laced kind of girl, Blake," the blonde remarks, smirk forming. "Guess not..."

Scoffing, Blake rolls her eyes. "I'm _not_ 'strait-laced'."

"Prove it."

"I can hear you, ya know," Ruby interjects, causing the older girls to break out into fits of laughter.

"Hey, Ruby," Yang starts, fighting a laugh, "Wanna come?" she asks the dark-haired girl who grunts.

"NOOOOOO!" Ruby exclaims before sighing in defeat. "I'm just so close to beating this level," she explains, inching closer to the screen.

"Blake?" Yang asks, smiling encouragingly at the black-haired girl.

Sighing, Blake nods her head. "Sure."

"Cool."

* * *

Roaming the halls, the girls stop to scope out the Hall of Heroes.

Recognizing most of the names, Yang stops to analyze the statue of a hooded woman. It was Scarlet Robe, one of Remnant's greatest heroes and an alumni of Beacon. Reaching out to touch the fallen's hero's great ax, Yang flinches as soon as contact is made.

"You ok?" Blake asks, noting a change in the other's heartbeat. Appearing beside her partner, Blake reads aloud Scarlet's plaque. "Is she one of your idols?"

"My mom-" Yang begins before pausing. "I mean, my _stepmom_ ," she corrects, breaking contact with the statue, "She, um, was a big fan of Scarlet here."

"Scarlet was pretty incredible," Blake agrees, furrowing her brows, noting that Yang was staring rather intently at the statue.

Sighing, the blonde crosses her arms across her chest, not taking her eyes off of the statue. "Summer," she begins, pausing, "Summer was Ruby's mom, and my stepmom," she clarifies, gulping. "She was everything to Ruby and I."

Hearing a crack in the other girl's tone, the black-haired beauty rests a hand on the other girl's shoulder.

"But her adoration for Scarlet," Yang continues, small smile forming, "Was so strong that she modeled herself after her," she discloses, eyeing the hood. "Even Ruby models herself after Scarlet."

"What about you?" Blake asks, not able to picture Yang wearing a hood because hoods just didn't seem to suit someone as extroverted and open as Yang. Her, on the other hand, well, let's just say that Blake went through a hoodie phase.

"I admire Scarlet," Yang admits before walking away, "But hoods and axes slow my game."

"Your game?"

"Yeah," Yang answers, turning around to face the black-haired beauty. "I need room to breathe," she states, referring to how encapsulating she found hoods and capes. "And as for axes, well, have you ever carried one?"

"I have, actually," the honey-eyed girl recalls, remembering simpler times at Menagerie when she would help her father chop firewood.

"Then you know what I mean," Yang points out, walking over to another fallen hero.

Recognizing the statue, Blake raises a brow. "Jack of Blades?"

"Controversial at best," Yang comments before placing her hands in her back-pocket. "The Bandit Slayer . . . " she mutters before sighing.

Picking up on her partner's body language, Blake once again walks over to the blonde. Standing beside the girl who smelled of lavender and rain, the black-haired girl looks at the figure of a man hidden behind an iron mask. Jack was notorious for many things, but what he was most known for was hunting and slaying bandits. Small villages worshiped him. Cities built monuments after him. And as for bandit tribes, well, they thought of 'Jack of Blades' as a dark chapter in their lives. Rumor had it was that Jack enjoyed taking human lives. That is why he opted to hunt bandits, rather than grimm, like his other colleagues. Still, Jack saved thousands of lives. He was hero, a controversial one, but a hero, nonetheless.

"Do you know the myth behind his blades?" Yang asks, lilacs locked onto the replicas of Jack's historical twin swords: Alvion and Aeon.

Frowning, Blake reaches out to graze her fingertips through the ceramic blades. She knew the story.

"They say his semblance was hidden in his swords," Yang continues, recalling the folklore behind Jack. "The more he fed his blades human blood, the stronger and faster his blades would get."

Tensing, Blake looks away from the statue. Jack reminded her of someone whom she would rather keep in the past. And apparently, it was having the same effect on her partner. Head cocked to the side, Blake wonders about her partner's past. Blake herself had a past she longed to forget. She made mistakes, plenty of them, but she was determined to move on with her life. And Yang, a seemingly optimistic, thrill-seeking kind of girl, was proving to be quite the mystery for the black-haired beauty. Contemplating it, the honey-eyed girl rests her hand on the taller girl's shoulder.

Flinching, Yang glances at the girl's hand before she retreats it.

Choosing not to press on the matter, Blake studies the tall, athletic girl. Something was off, but her instinct told her to let it be. If they were to become friends, Yang would open up to her; she was sure of it. "You know, I always end the day by reading," the black-haired beauty comments, small smile forming. "Why don't we sneak into the library before we call it a night?"

Smiling back, Yang nods. Thinking about Jack made her think about her birth-mother, a bandit. And right now, the last thing she needed was to obsess over finding the woman who abandoned her. At least Blake didn't ask too many questions nor pry on the matter. Leading the way, the blonde makes her way to the library.

Giving one last look at Jack, Blake shortly follows after the blonde.

* * *

Taking a deep breath, the girl enters the dormitory. There, she finds her teammates asleep on their respective bed. Sighing, she quietly closes the door.

Rolling over in her sleep, the dark-haired girl slightly opens her eyes. Despite feeling her eyelids feeling heavy, she is able to make out the shape of a petite light-haired girl; it was her partner. Perking up, she sits up on the bed, as the other girl rummages through her suitcase in search of sleepwear.

"Weiss?" Ruby whispers, causing the other girl to freeze. "Weiss?" she repeats, as the other girl sighs.

Without a word, the icy-eyed girl takes out her sleepwear before slipping out of the dorm to change.

Face falling, Ruby lies back down. No matter how hard she tried or what she said or did, Weiss did not like her. Ruby had tried being friendly, funny, and even showing off her semblance, but still, the light-haired girl seemed unimpressed by her. Rolling over to face the wall, Ruby lulls herself to asleep thinking of ways to connect with her partner.

In her pj's, Weiss makes her way back to their dorm. Taking another deep breath, the petite light-haired girl enters the room that would be her home for the next four years. Quietly closing the door, she quickly glances at her partner's bed. Thankfully, Ruby had gone back to sleep. More at ease, the icy-eyed girl walks over to what she presumed was her bed and pulls the covers. Lying there, she stares at the ceiling, as she recalls the last night she slept in her actual bed. It was an awful night, so much so that she had cried herself to sleep. As it was a common occurrence in her life, Weiss had gotten in a fight with her family. This time, the fight was with her father over choosing Beacon Academy over Atlas. Even her brother, Whitley, acted like a jerk throughout the whole ordeal. Sighing, she rolls her over to the other side and falls asleep thinking of her sister, Winter. Unlike her father and brother, Winter was always considerate of what Weiss wanted, even if Winter herself disagreed.

 _Taking a sip of her tea, the white-haired girl sighs. "Are you sure this is what you want?"_

 _Fingers curled around the cup, the younger girl looks down, avoiding eye-contact. Nervous, her hands shake and, thus, her cup clatters with its resting plate._

 _Instinctively, the older girl reaches out to rest her hand on top of her sister's hand, steadying it. "Why Beacon?" the older girl asks, causing the younger girl to finally look her in the eyes._

 _"Because . . ." Weiss starts before licking her lips. "Because I want to make a name for myself."_

 _"You're more than capable of doing that in Atlas, little sister," the older girl counters, retreating her hand. "Unless you're saying that **I** haven't made a name for myself."_

 _Flinching, Weiss grasps one of her sister's hands. "I'm-I'm n-not saying that!" she proclaims, suddenly feeling guilty._

 _Small smile forming, the older girl squeezes her sister's hand for reassurance. "Why Beacon?" she presses once more, narrowing her gaze. She could always tell when her little sister was keeping something inside. Now smiling warmly, Winter searches icy blues; Weiss had so much of their mother in her. "Weiss, it's me," she comforts, voice warm and maternal. "So tell me: Why Beacon?"_

 _"Because-Because I **hate** it here," the light-haired girl finally admits, looking away and feeling the weight of the world off her shoulders._

 _"I see," Winter remarks, pursing her lips and taking a sip from her tea. "You want to go to Beacon because our family has no ties to Beacon."_

 _"Father **hates** Beacon's headmaster and would rather die than ask a favor from Professor Ozpin," Weiss adds, scoffing. "It's the only way I can escape him."_

 _Setting her cup down, Winter studies the renowned younger heiress of the Schnee Dust Company. "Is home really that bad? Do you really feel like prisoner to our family name?" the older girl asks, having been on the same situation as the older of the Schnee siblings._

 _Sighing, Weiss fidgets with helm of her dress. "Sometimes."_

 _Smile vanishing, the older girl reclines back in her seat, legs crossed and hands resting gracefully on her lap. "A burden is only a burden if you don't overcome it, little sister. My advice: do whatever you have to do to be at peace with yourself and our family name, okay?"_

 _Silent, the younger girl nods. "You know," she starts, still avoiding eye-contact, "Our family wasn't always like this," the younger girl remarks, recalling simpler times when their mother was around. But even then, their family had issues; they always had issues._

 _"We both know life with mother wasn't perfect," Winter comments, causing the other girl to flinch._

 _"I'm well aware of mother's . . . **dependency** on certain substances," Weiss recalls, throat growing heavy. _

_"Look, Weiss," Winter begins, scooting closer to her sister. "You're young. And you still have a lot to experience and learn . . . but just know that no family is perfect. And the sooner you stop feeling sorry for our family, the sooner you'll be able to pave a path for yourself. And if I'm being honest, our name will open many doors for you; I advice you to utilize it. Own our name. Re-brand it. Mold it to your persona. And before long, you will become more than just the lonely ice-princess everyone sets you out to be."_

 _Scoffing, Weiss cracks a smile._

 _"You're more than just a beautiful girl with a beautiful voice," the older girl teases, smirking._

 _Rolling her eyes, Weiss crosses her arms across her chest. "Psh. I know that."_

 _"Then, prove it, little sister," Winter challenges, sipping from her tea._

 _Cracking another smile, Weiss looks up at piercing light eyes. "Thank you."_

 _Nodding, Winter sets her cup down. "Moving on, I expect to receive detailed reports of your progress at Beacon Academy."_

 _"Of course," the younger girl immediately answers, feeling better and grateful that Winter never changed. Unconditional love, it seemed, would always flow between them._

 _"I also assume that father will cut you off," Winter continues, scoffing. "When he does, do reach out to me, little sister, and I will take care of you."_

 _Blush forming, the younger girl nods. Winter was everything she aspired to be._

 _"I'd also like personal letters," Winter adds, smiling warmly. "I want to know how you're doing; who you're friends with; what hobby you pick up; any clubs you join. Anything, really. Understood?"_

 _"Affirmative."_

 _Smiling, the sisters finish the rest of their tea and talk about Weiss' plans upon arriving at Beacon._


End file.
